Conventional deterministic aircraft data networks such as Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC) 664 networks include end systems connected via Ethernet physical layers to each other through network switches. These networks are built using virtual links having network pathways and timing constraints for messages on those links. The virtual links have static routing through the network switches from various sources to various destinations. Each link is allocated a given maximum frequency of transmission, and any messages sent faster than allowed are filtered out by the switches.
Deterministic aircraft data networks are effective and reliable for statically configured parametric data transfer. However, they are inefficient for periodic, large block data flows or large file transfers. When large files are transmitted, each message is throttled by the allocated bandwidth on its associated virtual link. Increasing the virtual link allocation is not always feasible as that would interfere with other virtual links even if they are not currently being used. An additional problem is that each physical connection may have a different link speed. If a high bandwidth physical connection is bridged, through a switch, to a lower bandwidth connection, the fastest the data transfer on a given virtual link can occur throughout the network is constrained by the physical connection with the lowest bandwidth for that virtual link.
Bandwidth for these types of transfers could be created by adding an entirely separate physical layer to the airplane dedicated to this traffic. However, that is cost and weight prohibitive in most cases. Consequently, it is desirable to provide improved mechanisms for transmitting data reliably and effectively on deterministic aircraft data networks such as ARINC 664 while minimizing the addition of aircraft switches, end systems, and wiring.